MTFCA Forum

What type of top/roof material was used in 1924? I have a '24 Depot Hack, the old canvas vinyl appears to be the "pinpoint" canvas version which Haartz makes. But the description on their page states, it's popular for cars froom the 1950's to the 1990's. I was looking to get something closer to the original style, if possible. Thanks for your help!

The top material for enclosed cars can be purchased thru one of the many Model T supply houses like Lang's , Snyder's, etc. It is a vinyl material that some call Cobra grain, or Colonial grain. If you are replacing an enclosed car top the interior fabric must be replaced before the exterior material because you need access to the cross members to install it. A hack most likely would use the same vinyl as a closed car.

Colonial is open car top material. Cobra is closed car topping.

Fireball, in the classifieds offered a big roll of cobra the other day, probably enough to do several cars. He wanted darn near what you would pay for material for just one top. Good guy to deal with, buy it, do yours, sell what’s left and you get yours for free ( or less).

20 yds, that’s enough to do 6 or 7 tops, and older material is better material

Or you could use canvas. Most of our colonial built bodies, regardless of make, were fitted with canvas tops. Today's canvas is even better due to a % of synthetic fibre added to increase strength and decrease any shrinkage. It is ideal in fixed tops like a depot hack. A light colour called sand is close to the old original material.

Allan from down under.

I have a canvas top on mine over lath and polyester batting, then coated with the Flex-seal type stuff. While not real heavy canvas, the material has held up for more then 10+ years. I did recoat it about 5 years ago and is do for another recoat. Takes about 2 spray cans to do mine. I get the sealer from the auto supply, while it isn't flex-seal brand, it the same type stuff.

Interesting Mark. I have used 14 ounce cotton/polyester canvas on half a dozen or more Ts, 3 over timber slats and polyester filling and the rest as open car tops. My roadster buckboard hit the road in 1987 and it has never been treated with anything. Likewise, the fixed top on my 1995 restoration of my 1912 chocolate van also has never been treated. The canvas wets, and then dries. Polyester underlay is unaffected by moisture and it dries too. The only attention any of these tops has had is the occasional gentle soapy spot wash to remove bird droppings.

Not only does the canvas look period correct, it is easycare and long lasting.

Allan from down under.

The canvas I used was lighter, the kind artist use for oil paintings under 10oz, so no water proofing. (it was free and enough to do the job) I was going for era color of most US top material. I didn't put any sealer on the lath so didn't want it to get too wet plus except for a little curve at the front, it's a flat top so water would have just sat on it and soaked thru. As it is, because of my storage, I have had to de-mold the lath a couple of times where it did get wet.

I can understand mould being a problem in Portland. It is so dry here dampness is a problem we would love to have. For the slats under a fixed roof, I always use western red cedar laths, with spaces between them. The timber is unaffected by moisture and the material can dry from both sides. On my 1917 shooting brake I even found some brass nails to fix the laths in place.
Allan from down under.